Asthma medication and risk of dental diseases in children - A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries and enamel defects are the main causes of poor dental health in children, with a substantial impact on their well-being. Use of inhaled asthma medication is a suspected risk factor, but there is a lack of prospective studies investigating this and other prenatal and early life risk factors. METHODS: Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood 2010 mother-child cohort (COPSAC2010 ) consists of 700 women who were recruited at 24 weeks of pregnancy. 588 of their children participated in a dental examination at 6 years of age (84%) at the COPSAC2010 research unit. Caries was defined as decayed, missing, or filled surfaces. Enamel defect was defined as demarcated opacity, post-eruptive enamel breakdown, and/or atypical restoration on at least one molar. Caries and enamel defects were assessed in both deciduous and permanent dentitions. RESULTS: We found no associations between inhaled corticosteroids or ß2 -agonists or asthma symptoms in early childhood and the risk of caries or enamel defects by 6 years of age. Furthermore, we found no strong pre-, peri-, or postnatal risk factors for dental diseases at 6 years, except from nominally significant associations between antibiotic use in pregnancy (OR = 1.25, [1.01-1.54]), maternal education level (OR = 1.57, [1.01-2.45]), having a dog at home (OR = 0.50, [0.27-0.93]), and risk of enamel defects. CONCLUSIONS: Use of inhaled corticosteroids, ß2 -agonists, or asthma symptoms in the first 6 years of life were not associated with the development of caries or enamel defects. This finding is reassuring for parents and physicians prescribing asthma medication for young children.

Craniofacial morphology in adults with osteogenesis imperfecta-A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the craniofacial and neurocranial morphology of adults with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) with controls and to elucidate whether osseous origin impacts on morphological deviations in OI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-four adults (mean age 45.8) with OI type I, 14 adults (mean age 42.6) with OI types III/IV and 49 adult controls (mean age 41.0) were included. All participants had European ethnicity. Cranial morphology was assessed by 2D-cephalometry. Comparison between groups was made by multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: Comparison between OI groups and controls: (1) Dimension of the maxilla and mandible, respectively was reduced (P < .01), and in relation to the posterior cranial base, the maxilla was retro-positioned (P < .001), and the mandible was prognathic (P < .001). (2) The anterior face height was reduced (P < .04), and in OI types III/IV only, the maxilla was posteriorly inclined (P < .001). (3) Anterior cranial base (P < .001) and the dimension sella-frontale (P < .02) were short. (4) The sagittal dimension of the posterior cranial fossa was increased (P < .01), and the vertical dimension was reduced (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Adults with OI had a hypoplastic, retro-positioned and posteriorly inclined maxilla, a hypoplastic and forward-positioned mandible, and a reduced anterior face height. Deviations were seen in morphology of the posterior cranial fossa. The impact of OI on cranial morphology was generally more evident in OI type III/IV than in OI type I. OI impacts on osseous cranial structures irrespective of bony origin being intramembranous or endochondral.

Prevalence of the JP2 genotype of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in the world population: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: To investigate the global prevalence of the JP2 genotype of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa). METHODS: A comprehensive electronic search of databases, PUBMED, MEDLINE, EMBASE, BIOSIS, and SCOPUS, was conducted up to August 2021. All published articles and studies were considered, excluding animal studies, editorials, personal opinions, letters to editor, conference abstracts, posters, and those studies without full text. The primary objective of this systematic review was to determine the presence of the JP2 genotype of Aa in the world population. RESULTS: A total of 295 articles were identified, of which 62 were preselected, and 51 were finally included in this review. Due to variable study designs and high heterogeneity, a meta-analysis was not conducted. A total of 9744 subjects were screened for the presence of the JP2 genotype of Aa worldwide, and only 621 cases were found positive. CONCLUSIONS: A relatively high presence of JP2 genotype of Aa was found in subjects from South America, North America, and Africa. There were no studies estimating the presence of the JP2 genotype of Aa in the Oceania region. The heterogeneity and quality of the included publications suggest that caution should be exercised when interpreting the data and that there remains an important need for additional evidence. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Periodontitis is a highly prevalent inflammatory oral disorder with substantial aesthetic, functional, and psychological implications for patients. The JP2 genotype of Aa is implicated in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. To the best of our knowledge, there is a lack of systematic reviews estimating the presence of the JP2 genotype of Aa in the global population. We identified a relatively high presence of the JP2 genotype of Aa in specific geographic areas of the world, and we propose that cross-sectional and longitudinal studies are lacking in the Oceania region and need to be conducted to estimate the presence of the JP2 genotype of Aa in this region.

Self-perception of periodontal health and pain experience during periodontal examination in 14- to 15-year-old Danish adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate different aspects of periodontal examination among Danish adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In all, 521 Danish adolescents underwent a periodontal examination and answered a questionnaire concerning their self-perception of periodontal health (PH). Furthermore, 107 participants reported their pain experience during periodontal examination using a visual analog scale. The self-perception of PH and the pain experience were correlated with plaque score (PS), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD), and interdental clinical attachment loss (CAL). RESULTS: Good PH was reported by 424 (81%) of the participants. However, the association between PH and PS, BOP, PPD, and CAL was small (sensitivity: 7.7, 7.8, 12.0, and 0.0%, respectively). Only 57 (11%) of the participants reported bleeding gums (BG) during tooth brushing, but the correlation with BOP showed a sensitivity of 11.7%. The specificity of both self-perception of PH and BG was high. Sixty-seven (66.6%) of the participants experienced 'mild pain' during periodontal examination. There were no differences in periodontal outcomes between the pain groups (p > .05). CONCLUSIONS: The adolescents showed a poor ability to identify themselves as having poor PH and BG, and 67 (66.6%) of the adolescents experienced mild pain during periodontal examination. The findings emphasize the need for dental staff to monitor the PH of Danish adolescents and advise them as necessary.

Parental mental illness, attendance at preventive child healthcare and dental caries in the offspring: a nation-wide population-based cohort study.

PURPOSE: Severe mental illness (SMI) may interfere with parental caregiving practices and offspring development. Adhering to preventive well-child visits and maintaining good oral hygiene during early childhood requires parental involvement. Whether these activities are affected by parental SMI is unclear. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether children exposed to parental SMI are at increased risk of non-attendance to preventive well-child visits and vaccinations at age 0-5 years and of child dental caries experience at age 5 years. Furthermore, interactions between maternal psychiatric and sociodemographic variables in relation to an adverse child outcome were assessed. METHODS: Data were obtained from national Danish health registers. All children born in Denmark between January 1997 and December 2010 were followed from birth until their 6th birthday. RESULTS: 679,339 children were included in the study (51% male). Of these, 49,059 children (7.8%) had at least one parent with a lifetime SMI diagnosis. Children of parents with SMI had elevated odds of missing well-child visits and vaccinations (OR 1.41; 95% CI 1.39-1.44, p < 0.0001), and of child dental caries (OR 1.58; 95% CI 1.55-1.62, p < 0.0001). In the presence of maternal SMI, low socioeconomic classification and single-mother status added more to the elevated risk than specific maternal diagnosis or timing of last psychiatric contact. CONCLUSION: Parents with SMI are less compliant with preventive child healthcare activities than parents without SMI. This indicates a need for practical support to these families in order to prevent inequality in health among their offspring.

Molar-incisor hypomineralization: an umbrella review.

OBJECTIVE: In recent years, Molar Incisor Hypomineralization (MIH) has become a subject that concerns the Paediatric Dentistry Community. The aim of the present umbrella review was to analyse previously published systematic reviews (SRs) on MIH in children and adolescents. METHODS: Electronic database search was conducted (including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane, Web of Science, and LILACS) until July 2020. Studies were included, if they were SR on MIH in children and adolescents. The methodological quality of SRs was judged by use of the MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews 2. The primary outcomes included prevalence, aetiology, and clinical management of MIH. Data extraction and methodological quality assessment were performed. RESULTS: Eighteen systematic reviews were included for data extraction. Among these, two were focussing on prevalence, five addressed aetiology, one highlighted the mechanical and chemical characteristics of enamel in MIH, one underlined the association between MIH and dental caries, six addressed the treatment, and one focussed on hypomineralization of primary teeth as a predictor of MIH. The results showed a high worldwide prevalence of MIH and an unknown aetiology of MIH, but reporting that the aetiology is most likely multifactorial. Different treatment approaches used were desensitizing and remineralizing products, resin infiltration, fissure sealant, atraumatic restorative treatment, resin composite restoration, and stainless steel crown (SSC), but also extraction associated with orthodontic treatment of the permanent first molars (PFMs) was reported on. The AMSTAR criteria 2 was applied, where six studies were assessed as having critically low quality, two studies as having low quality, and nine studies as having moderate quality. CONCLUSIONS: MIH is highly prevalent worldwide and has most likely a multifactorial aetiology. Different treatment approaches according to the degree of severity of lesion(s) are reported on. The quality of evidence produced by the available SRs was not favourable. More well-designed clinical trials and high standard systematic reviews are necessary to elucidate better MIH characteristics and treatment outcomes.

Oral health-related quality of life in X-linked hypophosphataemia and osteogenesis imperfecta.

X-linked hypophosphataemia (XLH) and osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) are rare congenital disorders characterised by skeletal dysplasia. The two disorders may include dental anomalies potentially affecting individual well-being. The aims of study were (a) to assess the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in Danish adults with XLH or OI, and (b) to compare the results of the groups. A cross-sectional study including 35 adults with XLH, 56 adults with OI type I and 17 adults with OI types III-IV was conducted. The OHRQoL was assessed by the 49-item version of the questionnaire Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP). Summed domain scores (seven) were compared between XLH and OI groups. Prevalence of severe impact on OHRQoL (scores 3-4) was compared between groups. The median scores in XLH group exceeded the medians in OI (P < .05) in the domains functional limitation (XLH:6.5; OI:4.0), pain (XLH:9.5; OI:5.0), psychological discomfort (XLH:5.5; OI:2.0), psychological disability (XLH:2.0; OI:0.0), handicap (XLH:2.0; OI:0.0) and total OHIP (XLH:35.0; OI:14.0). Differences in domains physical disability (XLH: 4.0; OI: 1.0) and social disability (XLH: 0.0; OI: 0.0) were not significant. Prevalence of severe impact on OHRQoL in the XLH group significantly exceeded the level in OI group in the domains functional limitation (XLH: 59%; OI: 35%), psychological discomfort (XLH: 38%; OI: 20%) and physical disability (XLH: 32%; OI: 13%). In conclusion, adults with XLH experience a higher negative impact on their OHRQoL than adults with OI. Only to a minor degree, individuals with OI types III-IV experience a higher impact on OHRQoL than individuals with OI type I.

Use of asthma drugs and prevalence of molar incisor hypomineralization.

BACKGROUND: Asthma and molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) are common diseases among children and have been suspected to be associated with each other. AIM: To examine the association between asthma or the use of asthma drugs and the prevalence of MIH. DESIGN: In a population-based cross-sectional study, we recorded MIH in 9-year-old children in Aalborg Municipality, Denmark, born in the year 2000. We used a unique 10-digit civil personal number to link data on MIH to population-based medical register data. The exposure was inhaled asthma medication from birth date until date of dental examination. The outcome was the overall prevalence of MIH according to use of asthma medication. Odds ratios (OR) of having MIH were adjusted for gender, use of antibiotics and amoxicillin, maternal smoking, pre- and perinatal complication, and hospital admissions. RESULTS: We examined 1837 children, of which 542 (29.5%) had one or more molar(s) with MIH. The adjusted odds ratio of having MIH was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.60-1.51) among children with prescriptions of inhaled asthma medication. CONCLUSION: In this study, where the results have been adjusted for confounding, we found no association between use of inhaled asthma medication and the prevalence of MIH.

Comprehensive antimicrobial susceptibility testing of a large collection of clinical strains of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans does not identify resistance to amoxicillin.

AIM: The present study aims to determine the susceptibility of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans to amoxicillin by investigating a large collection of oral strains of diverse geographical origin. METHODS: Two hundred and fifty-seven A. actinomycetemcomitans strains were serotyped using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction, and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of amoxicillin were determined using the agar dilution method (range 0.25-8.0 mg/L). The plates were spot-wise inoculated with approximately 104 colony-forming units, incubated in 5% CO2 at 37 C°, and visually inspected after 24 and 48 hr. A MIC ≤ 2.00 mg/L was categorised as susceptible using EUCAST interpretative criteria for Haemophilus species. RESULTS: Amoxicillin MIC values varied from 0.25 mg/L to 2.00 mg/L, and all tested strains, including strains previously reported as resistant, were susceptible to amoxicillin. The MIC50 was 1.00 mg/L and the MIC90 was 2.00 mg/L. CONCLUSION: Meticulous investigation of strains including isolates previously reported as resistant could not confirm the emergence of resistance to ß-lactams in A. actinomycetemcomitans. Based on the present in vitro results, amoxicillin can be considered a key oral antimicrobial agent for treatment of A. actinomycetemcomitans.

Dental anomalies and orthodontic characteristics in patients with pseudohypoparathyroidism.

BACKGROUND: Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) is a rare and inherited disease caused by mutations in the GNAS-gene or upstream of the GNAS complex locus. It is characterized by end-organ resistance to PTH, resulting in hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia. We aimed to investigate the dental anomalies according to tooth types and the orthodontic characteristics of patients with PHP. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, 29 patients (23 females) with PHP, living in Denmark, were included, and their clinical intraoral photos and radiographs were examined. RESULTS: Pulp calcification was found in 76% of the patients. Blunting of root apex was present in 55% and shortening of root in 48% of the examined patients. Blunting and shortening of roots were seen more often in premolars than in other tooth types (pboth < 0.01). Crowding of lower anterior teeth was frequently observed (36%) as well as diastema in the upper arch (25%), midline diastema (18%), and Class III malocclusion (11%). CONCLUSION: In the present study population, the teeth were frequently affected by pulp calcification and/or deviation of the root morphology. Blunting and shortening of root(s) were more often seen in premolars than in other tooth types. Class III malocclusion was relatively prevalent. It is important to pay attention to dental anomalies and occlusion in order to provide adequate care for patients with PHP.

Craniofacial and dental characteristics of patients with vitamin-D-dependent rickets type 1A compared to controls and patients with X-linked hypophosphatemia.

ᅟOBJECTIVES: Vitamin-D-dependent rickets type 1A (VDDR1A) is a rare inherited disease caused by defective activation of vitamin D. The aim of the study was to describe the craniofacial characteristics and the dental phenotype of patients with genetically confirmed VDDR1A. The VDDR1A findings were compared to findings in patients with X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) and healthy controls. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten patients with VDDR1A were identified. The reference group for the comparison of cephalometric findings was 49 adults without chronic disease. The reference group for the comparison of dental findings was 30 adults with XLH. Clinical examination, clinical photos, and radiographs were obtained. Cephalometric analysis was performed. Photos and radiographs were visually evaluated. RESULTS: The depth of the posterior cranial fossa (d-p and d-s-iop) in VDDR1A adults was reduced compared to the reference group (p < 0.05). Five (83%) of six adults with VDDR1A and one (4%) of 25 adults with XLH had enamel hypoplasia on several incisors and/or canines (p < 0.001). Three (75%) of four adults with VDDR1A and none of 16 adults with XLH had several first molars with enamel hypoplasia (p = 0.004). Five of 7 (71%) adults with VDDR1A and 24 of 30 (80%) adults with XLH had endodontically affected teeth. CONCLUSIONS: The dental aberration of VDDR1A is more in line with the dental aberration of nutritional rickets than with the dental aberrations in XLH, suggesting the combination of low availability of both calcium and phosphate to be critical in periods of enamel formation. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Knowledge on craniofacial and dental aberration in patients with rare diseases, e.g., inherited rickets, is of importance to the dental practitioner, especially during diagnostics and treatment in special care units.

The dental perspective on osteogenesis imperfecta in a Danish adult population.

BACKGROUND: To report on dental characteristics and treatment load in Danish adult patients with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). METHODS: Oral examination of 73 patients with OI was performed and OI type I, III, and IV were represented by 75.3%, 8.2%, and 16.4%, respectively. Patients were diagnosed as having dentinogenesis imperfecta (DI) if they had clinical and radiological signs of DI. In the data analysis, mild OI (type I) was compared to moderate-severe OI (type III and IV). RESULTS: Discoloration of teeth was prevalent in patients with moderate-severe compared to mild OI (83.3% vs. 5.5%, p < 0.001). Cervical constriction and pulpal obliteration were frequent findings in patients with moderate-severe OI (61.1% and 88.9%, respectively), whereas pulp stones and taurodontism were diagnosed in patients with mild OI only (29.1% and 9.1%, respectively). DI was found in 24.7% of OI patients and considerably more frequent in patients with moderate-severe (94.4%) compared to mild OI (1.8%) (p < 0.001). The number of teeth with artificial crowns was significantly higher in patients with moderate-severe OI than in patients with mild OI (median 1.5, range 0-23 vs. median 0, range 0-14) (p < 0.001). The number of teeth with fillings in patients with mild OI was significantly higher than in patients with moderate-severe OI (mean 9.7, SD 5.1, median 9.0, range 1-21 vs. mean 5.0, SD 4.4, median 4.0, range 0-16) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: One fourth of patients with OI had DI, and the vast majority of them had moderate-severe OI. Whereas discoloration of teeth, cervical constriction and pulp obliteration were frequent findings in patients with moderate-severe OI, pulp stones and taurodontism were found in patients with mild OI only. In patients with moderate-severe OI, the dental treatment load was dominated by prosthetic treatment, whereas restorative treatment with fillings was more prevalent in patients with mild OI.

Prevalence and impact of infant oral mutilation on dental occlusion and oral health-related quality of life among Kenyan adolescents from Maasai Mara.

BACKGROUND: Infant Oral Mutilation (IOM) includes germectomy and early extraction of primary and permanent incisors and canines, primarily in the lower jaw. The aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence and impact of IOM, involving the removal of mandibular permanent incisors and/or canines, on dental occlusion and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) among Kenyan adolescents from Maasai Mara. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 284 adolescents (14-18 yrs. of age) participated in an oral examination and an interview, using a structured questionnaire on age, gender, medical history, and IOM practice. For the analysis of the dental occlusion, participants with IOM, in terms of absence of two or more permanent teeth in the mandibular incisor and/or canine tooth segments (IOM group), were compared to participants who had all six incisors and canines present in the oral cavity (control group). OHRQoL was assessed using child perception questionnaire (CPQ11-14). RESULTS: The majority of the participants (61%) had been exposed to IOM, among whom 164 (95%) had absence of two mandibular central incisors. More individuals in the IOM group had maxillary overjet exceeding 5 mm than in the control group (50.9% vs. 20%, p <  0.001). Nineteen (11%) subjects in the IOM group had mesial occlusion in contrast to none in the control group (p <  0.001). The mean and median total CPQ scores and the mean and median CPQ domain scores were low in both groups with no significant differences between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately two-thirds of the study population presented with IOM, with the majority of them missing two mandibular permanent central incisors. Although some participants with IOM had substantial maxillary overjet and mesial occlusion, only few of them showed substantial effect on their OHRQoL.

Nance-Horan syndrome-The oral perspective on a rare disease.

The present study describes seven patients with Nance-Horan syndrome, all referred to a specialized oral care unit in the Central Denmark Region. A literature search on "Nance Horan Syndrome" resulted in 53 publications among which 29 reported on dental findings. Findings reported in these papers have been systematized to obtain an overview of the reported findings and the terminology on dental morphology. All seven patients included in the present study showed deviations of crown morphology on incisors and/or molars. The only consistent and very clear dental aberration was alterations in the tooth morphology that is screwdriver-shaped incisors and bud molars being most pronounced in the permanent dentition, but were also present in the primary dentition. In addition, three patients had supernumerary teeth, and three had dental agenesis. In conclusion, a dental examination as a part of the diagnostic process may reveal distinct characteristics of the dental morphology, which could be of diagnostic value and facilitate an early diagnosis. In the description of molar morphology in NHS patients, it is recommended to use the term "bud molar." The combination of congenital cataract, screwdriwer-shaped incisors and bud-shaped molars is a strong clinical indication of Nance-Horan syndrome. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Dentoalveolar oral surgery in children and adolescents: organization and surgical treatment in a large, Danish municipal dental service.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a population-based organization of dentoalveolar surgical service for 0 to 18-year old subjects in a Danish municipal dental service, and analyze the type of dentoalveolar surgical interventions needed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted in the Municipality of Aarhus, Denmark during five consecutive school-years. An internal referral system was established within the municipality where patients could be referred to colleagues with a higher level of competencies and more experiences with paediatric dentoalveolar surgery. The analysis includes a total of 1812 children and a total of 2854 surgical interventions. RESULTS: Almost 80% of the patients, representing more than 80% of the dentoalveolar surgical interventions needed, were referred internally. Denudations were the most frequent treatment type (40.3%) carried out, followed by removal of third molars (18.0%). Furthermore, 22 odontomas and 100 supernumerary teeth were removed. CONCLUSIONS: The need of dentoalveolar surgery in children and adolescents is relatively low, but includes a wide range of interventions. An organizational system, where dentists can refer to colleagues who have developed special competencies in this field, results in most of these surgical patients being referred and treated internally.

How Danish dentists and dental hygienists handle their role in child abuse and neglect matters.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify how the dental team perceives its role in safeguarding children, to identify barriers to referral to social services, to compare data with data previously reported from Denmark, and to assess if increased focus on safeguarding children has had an effect on how the dental team handles its responsibility to refer to social services. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study is based on a Danish version of a questionnaire previously used in Scotland and Denmark. The questionnaire was sent to a random sample of the Danish dental team. RESULTS: The number of returned questionnaires was 964 (67.0%) with valid data. Of these, 40.8% had had a suspicion of child abuse or neglect and 50.0% had referred their concern to social services. Frequently reported barriers to referral were uncertainty about observations, signs, and symptoms of abuse and neglect, and uncertainty about referral procedures. A total of 84 (8.9%) of the respondents had received both undergraduate and postgraduate training on the topic, and 64.4% of the respondents found that the dental staff could recognize signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest a continuous need for a focus on the awareness and training of the Danish dental staff on the important topic of child abuse and neglect.

A systematic review on the association between molar incisor hypomineralization and dental caries.

BACKGROUND: Molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) is a defect of enamel. The lower strength of the enamel can lead to fractures that predispose for plaque accumulation and caries. AIM: This systematic review aimed to assess the association between MIH and caries. DESIGN: Studies involving children of all ages, which reported results on MIH and caries in the permanent dentition, were considered eligible. A search was performed in PubMed and was limited to the period from January 2003 to November 2015, and to studies written in English. Reviews, meta-analyses, and case reports were excluded. The studies were evaluated by use of the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS). RESULTS: Seventeen publications were compiled in the review. Most publications reported that children with MIH have higher caries experience. One study did not observe a difference in DMF values among children affected or not by MIH. Three studies reported that children with MIH were 2.1 to 4.6 times more likely to have caries in the permanent dentition than children without MIH. CONCLUSIONS: A significant association between MIH and caries was found. The results should, however, be interpreted cautiously due to the lack of high-quality studies. The present systematic review confirms the need for further well-designed studies.

The JP2 genotype of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and marginal periodontitis in the mixed dentition.

AIM: To perform a cross-sectional study on the carrier frequency of JP2 and non-JP2 genotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans in Moroccan school children and relate the presence of these genotypes to the periodontal status in the mixed dentition. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A plaque sample from 513 children was analysed by PCR. JP2 genotype-positive subjects (n = 46), an equally sized group of non-JP2 genotype-positive subjects, and an A. actinomycetemcomitans-negative group were randomly chosen among the remaining subjects for clinical and radiographic examination. RESULTS: Among 513 children, 46 (9.0%) carried the JP2 genotype and 186 (36.3%) were positive for non-JP2 genotypes, whereas A. actinomycetemcomitans could not be detected in the remaining 281 subjects. Among 75 subjects with mixed dentition and selected for clinical examination, clinical attachment loss (CAL) ≥ 3 mm at two or more periodontal sites on primary teeth was found in the JP2 genotype-positive group only. In total, 6.7% of subjects with primary teeth present showed CAL ≥ 3 mm at two or more sites. CONCLUSIONS: The carrier frequency of the JP2 genotype of A. actinomycetemcomitans was at a comparable level to frequencies previously found in Moroccan adolescent populations. Clinical attachment loss, manifesting already in the primary dentition, was found only in the group of Moroccan children carrying the JP2 genotype of A. actinomycetemcomitans.

Progression of attachment loss is strongly associated with presence of the JP2 genotype of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans: a prospective cohort study of a young adolescent population.

AIM: To assess the progression of attachment loss (AL) during a 2-year period according to the presence of JP2 and non-JP2 genotypes of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in a Ghanaian adolescent population. METHODS: A total of 500 adolescents (mean age 13.2 years, SD ± 1.5) were enrolled in the study. After 2 years, 397 (79.4%) returned for a periodontal re-examination, including the measurement of AL. The carrier status of the JP2 and non-JP2 genotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans was evaluated in a baseline examination 2 years earlier. RESULTS: Individuals who carried the JP2 genotype of A. actinomycetemcomitans had a significantly increased risk [relative risk (RR) = 7.3] of developing AL ≥ 3 mm. The mean AL at the follow-up and the mean 2-year progression of AL were significantly higher in the JP2 genotype-positive group (n = 38) compared with the group positive for the non-JP2 genotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans (n = 169), and the group of A. actinomycetemcomitans-negative individuals (n = 190). The JP2 genotype was strongly associated with the progression of AL ≥ 3 mm (OR = 14.3). The non-JP2 genotypes of A. actinomycetemcomitans were also, however, less pronounced, associated with the progression of AL ≥ 3 mm (OR = 3.4). CONCLUSION: The JP2 genotype of A. actinomycetemcomitans is strongly associated with the progression of AL.

Developmental enamel defects in children born preterm: a systematic review.

The purpose of this review was to evaluate the association between developmental enamel defects and children born preterm. An identical search was performed in PubMed and Embase and was limited to human studies and studies written in English, German, Danish, Swedish, or Norwegian. Reviews, case studies, and case series were excluded. A total of 283 articles were identified. Twenty-three publications, of which 19 were follow-up studies, two were case-control studies, and two were cross-sectional surveys, were enrolled in the review. The majority of the studies (n = 17) dealt with enamel hypoplasia of the primary teeth. Thirteen studies reported an association between preterm birth and enamel hypoplasia, and, in addition, few studies reported an increased risk of enamel opacities in the primary teeth, in children with a birth weight <1500 g. Seven studies dealt with enamel disturbances of the permanent teeth, four of which suggested an increased risk of enamel opacities. This systematic review suggests an increased risk of enamel hypoplasia in primary teeth of children born preterm and enamel opacities in very-low birth-weight children. A larger number of well-designed studies are, however, needed in order to increase the validity of the studies.